This is the kind of moment that usually illuminates manosphere.
On June 21, U.S. bombs blew up Iran’s dramatic military operation called “Operation Midnight Hammer”, which destroyed three major nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. President Donald Trump warned in a televised speech that the United States could strike again if Iran disagrees with a diplomatic solution. In Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike at a press conference with Istanbul journalists, saying: “My country has been under attack, aggressive and we must respond in accordance with our legitimate right to self-defense.”
But…silence.
This is not the loudest sound in the online male influencer sphere (Manosphere). Usually the digital brotherhood of every cultural moment suddenly has nothing to say. The loudest magazine Influential people are known for their war metaphors, grinder preaching and political shooters online to define masculinity and register.
Manosphere is not a single sports. This is a confusion constellation of neoconservatives and liberals to pro-Israeli influencers, non-interventionist Christians and Muslim masculinists. Together they form a vast online ecosystem that shapes millions of people, especially young people, how they talk about politics, war, identity and masculinity.
When Israel first bombed Iran on June 12, many people’s numbers were already involved in the war in digital ways. Some people like Ben Shapiro call for full U.S. support for Israel. Others, such as Matt Walsh, who is firmly opposed to U.S. military intervention, citing Trump’s 2024 campaign promise avoided foreign wars.
Internal disputes crossed the timeline. Over the following week, Walsh was attacked by his own followers for Hawkish lack.
“Matt Walsh will be awakened,” one user posted on X, formerly Twitter. “I don’t like this fact because I like Matt and he has been one of my favorite conservative commentators for years.”
Walsh opened back to learn: “This witch hunting is crazy. You guys have lost their damn minds. Everything I say to foreign policy now is as long as I have a platform, what I’ve been saying. So if I keep incredible consistency on the issue and be loyal to my friends, let me wake me up, it’s right.”
This witch hunting is crazy. You have lost your damn mind. Everything I say about foreign policy now is what I have been saying, as long as I have a platform, even before that. I have the many “wake up” people with whom I’m “comfortable” (whatever that means) are…
– Matt Walsh (@mattwalshblog) June 19, 2025
Two days later, the bomb fell. Words…evaporate.
What follows is not unity. That’s absent.
The same influential people filled the feed, with infographics, popular intake and theological reasons against war or against war suddenly stopped publishing.
This is especially surprising considering the bet. A U.S. president has brought the country into an undeclared conflict that could expand into regional wars or worse. For a group of truth and Alpha defenders of Western values, their silence does not look like Stoicism, but more like paralysis.
Charlie Kirk, the founder of the U.S. turning point, and a close ally of Trump, warned a few days ago that military operations would alienate young male voters who had made a comeback. But when the strike happened, Kirk turned over.
Kirk released on June 21: “With the weight of the world, President Trump acts to improve humanity. In the next few hours, please save us quarterbacks and trust our commanders instead.”
President Trump is relying on the weight on his shoulders to improve human behavior. Over the next few hours, we avoided the quarterback’s armchair and trusted our commander instead.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 22, 2025
Still, he hedged, trying not to lose his followers who opposed the intervention.
“Happy, because we have given up on the bomb, we should be humble. Destined to be filled with warning optimism. The world is not over. Our best days are ahead.”
In times like this, I find many people saying they will regret it in the end. Super emotions should be ignored. Ecstasy, because we should be humble to put down the bomb. Optimism that is destined to be paid attention to. The world is not over yet. Our best days are far away.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 22, 2025
The others were completely quiet. Iranian-American entrepreneur Patrick Bet-David often criticized the Ayatollah regime and wrote “interesting” under Trump’s position as a social truth.
Interesting. pic.twitter.com/89yvcfsylj
– Patrick Bet-David (@patrickbetdavid) June 22, 2025
Even Ben Shapiro, who was in a career supporting Israel’s security interests, did not impose trade-offs immediately.
Only a few broke the silence. British commentator Konstantin Kisin has formed an alliance with pro-Israel rights in support of the bombing. “Yes, I’m glad the Islamic Revolutionary regime won’t get nuclear weapons,” he said.
Yes, I am glad that the Islamic Revolutionary regime will not obtain nuclear weapons. that’s why:
— Konstantin Kisin (@konstantinkisin) June 22, 2025
But in anti-war training camps, Joe Rogan’s experience was scarce except for liberal comedian Dave Smith.
“Donald Trump is now launching an illegal aggression war against Iran. The risk of absolute disaster is high, and the benefits are not there,” Smith wrote. “The worst thing is that he did on behalf of a foreign government to a country that does not threaten us.”
Donald Trump is now launching an illegal war of aggression against Iran. The risk of absolute disaster is high, and the benefits do not exist. Worst of all, he did it on behalf of a foreign government to a country that does not threaten us.
— Dave Smith (@comicdavesmith) June 22, 2025
This is an identity crisis.
Manosphere has spent years turning strength, strength and moral clarity into a brand. But Trump’s Iran strike broke their framework. The ultimate Alpha male Trump himself once forced his online followers into a moral corner. Choose a leader, or choose principles.
Many people choose to be silent.
The consequences of “midnight surgery” are still unfolding. But long-term damage may have been caused. Trump may remind his base who’s boss. But in doing so, he may have broken the fantasy of what Alpha influenced people once represented for their own power itself.
